Tuesday, March 23, 2010

There's fear and then there's Fear....

Fear. Afraid. Anxious. Anxiety.

It comes to us with various names. The result is the same: Control which leads to Captivity.

Fear. As I listen to people's hearts these days I hear a reoccurring theme: Fear.
Fear of the future economy; fear of possible climate change; fear of health or lack of it; fear of danger to the fam and kiddos....fear!

I am more and more impressed by the fact that the majority of this fear expressed is in the FUTURE: "What if......" "How should I cope if....." "Where do we go if....."

Now, some types of fear are good for us: "Don't cross a busy street." "Keep your hand off of a hot stove" type of fear. However, fear that paralyzes, fear that dominates thinking, fear that taunts and torments is another type of fear. The Living Word of God speaks to this in

2 Timothy 1:7 "For GOD has NOT given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of POWER, LOVE and a SOUND mind."

What are we taught here? That there is more than one source of fear. Here we see that there is a SPIRIT of fear; one sent to us by the enemy of our souls to defeat, deflate and derail us as Christ-Followers. What is the antidote to this SPIRIT of fear? POWER, LOVE and a SOUND mind!

Okay, how does this antidote work?
When our WILL is attacked by fear, we counter-attack with GOD'S POWER!
When our EMOTIONS are attacked by fear, we counter-attack with GOD'S LOVE!
When our MIND is attacked by fear, we counter-attack with GOD'S SOUND (healthy) mind!

Where is the SOURCE of this antidote? THE SPIRIT of the LIVING WORD OF GOD!!

So, my friend, if you're not in the Living Word, open it and GET IT INTO YOUR MIND!
If you are in the Living Word, STAY THERE and PARTNER with the SPIRIT EACH DAY!

We are created to walk from STRENGTH to STRENGTH, not from fear to fear.
Let us be MORE THAN CONQUERERS not weak victims!

3 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Great word on fear! One of my favorite quotes on fear is the following:

A book by H. Norman Wright titled “Afraid No More” says this:“Fear compels us forward while inhibiting our progress at the same time. Fear is like a video tape continually replaying our most haunting experiences. Hope allows God’s Spirit to set us free from our fears and to draw us forward in our lives.”

Fear is not something that God has given us but something that is received in the absence of faith.

Fear has stopped countless men and women at the doorpost of greatness, causing them to return to a life of mediocrity. What is fears primary objective? “To stop you from fulfilling God’s purpose and plan for your life.”

Getting in the Word, basking in God's love will drive out fear! There is a hurting world out there that are waiting/wanting/looking for the 'overcomers' to speak life to them and to believe in them! To be Jesus!

RIGHT ON, Patti! Well said!! The statement, "Fear has stopped countless men and women at the doorpost of greatness, causing them to return to a life of mediocrity." YES, YES and YES!!! I see this is people almost DAILY!! The more one allows fear to dictate their actions and reactions, the LESS LIGHT there is in their eyes, the more cynical they become and their god "shrinks" to their size or smaller! What else did you say? Oh, yes: "Fear is the absence of faith." Also well said.May we attain the high calling of God on each of our lives!!! We are MORE than Conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord!!Keeping the armor on, Ele

Hey I have been there and done that. It really helps having good/healthy people around you that remind of the truth, remind you of who you are in Christ and who believe in you! As well as peel you off the ground when you fall or are ready to give up. I had and have those people in my life. Most of all our heavenly Father believes in us and He is for us. And if God be for us who can be against us.